Abdominal cramping
I have been an avid runner for about 5 years. Recently I have been getting an awful cramp on the right side of my body and at varying times during the run. I have participated in races from a full marathon to a 5k. I have done speed training as well as distance training. It is not an eating cramp. I have also tried to drink a lot of sports drinks to replenish my electrolytes. Nothing is helping. I am at a loss.
1 Comment found
Muscledawg
Abdominal cramping isn’t caused by what you eat or drink while you work out. A “stitch” can be a cramp of the abdominal wall caused by tugging of the diaphragm on the ab wall.
You can try belly breathing to stretch your abs completely preventing the cramp, or you can try to switch your “breathing in leg” of your stride.
Longer term you can try focused training of your oblique muscles which seems to reduce the incidence of stitches in my clients.
Finally, your pain might be a gas bubble trapped in your tum from swallowing air while you’re training or racing hard.
Hope that helps,
Muscledawg.